Windmill.



- No. 739,948. PATENTED SEPT. 29, 1903.

A. Wr., 'EIHOMPSON WINEMILL APPLIOATION: B212F13: um. 16. 1903.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEIV'IT l.'

No MODEL. Qa

EEN

INVENTOR /Zgf/L.

Alto

PAELEMED SEPT. 29, 1903. A. W. THOMPSON.

WINDMILL.

APPLIoA'rIoN funn Ju. 1e. 1003.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I0 IODEL.

W TNBSSES.-

we Ncmus virtus cn, Pmrmuvno.. wAsNms-ron, n. c.

veggie.'

UNITED STATES Fatented September 29,

ASA vv. THOMPSON, on ATcHISoN, KANSAS.

WINDNIILL.

SPECIFICATION `forming part of Letters Patent No. 739,948, dated September 29, 1903. Applicationled January 16. 1908. Serial No.' 139,310. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

. Be itknown that LAsA W.THoMPsoN,-a citizen of the United States, residing at Atchison, in the county lof Atchison, State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvelnents in Windmills, of which the following is a'specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention. relates'to Windmills, andrnore particularly to the head or gearing thereof, Where the vane is thrown intov or out of the wind.

The invention has for an object to provide an improved latching device for retaining the furl-lever controlling the movement of In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevationV of the windmill; Fig. 2,'an elevation ofthe left end of Fig. l; Fig. 3, a similar view of the right end of Fig. 1 with a portion of the wheel attached thereto; Fig. 4,'an enlarged plan of the furl-lever and latch therefor when the vane is out of thewind; Fig. 5, a similar view with the vane in thev wind; Fig. 6, a perspectiveof the mill-head; Fig. 7, a detail perspective of the means of attaching the i wheel-b1ades to their supporting-arms, and

Fig. Sis a detail elevation of the bearing for the wheel-shaft. f

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several guresof the drawings.

The letterA designates the tower structure, which may be any desired configuration and is provided at its upper end with a cap A', suitably Secured thereto and upon which the body B of the main casting rests. Below this cap A a cross-plate A2 is provided, upon which is secured a tubular supportAB, which extends up through the cap A and also through the body B of the main castingand serves as a guide or support, around which the main casting and parts attached thereto revolve or are turned bythe changing winds. At one side of the main casting a bracket B4 extends and is provided at its outer end with a bearing-sleeve B5, adapted to receive the main driving-shaft C, which carries the hub C for the wind-wheel. This sleeve is adapted to receive a Babbitt metal or other wearing-surface B, (see Fig. 8,) and the bracket between the sleeve' and the main casting is open or cut away to permit the free introduction of this Babbitt metal. The inner end of the mainV shaft C is provided with a bearing in the guard-casing B7 and with a driving-pinion C2, adapted to mesh with the gear C3, disposed within the casing B3. The shaft C4of this gear is disposed within a suitable bearing-Sleeve B8, extending laterally from the main casting, and the gear is provided with connecting-sockets C5, spaced at different distances from its shaft, soas to permit an adjustment of the length of throw given the pitman CG, which extends upward from the gear to the rock-arm G7. This arm vis pivotally connected to the pitman at one end and at its opposite end C8 is pivoted to to a standard C, extending upward from the main casting. The pump-rod A4 extends upward through the main casting and is pivotally'connected at its upper end A5 with the free end of the rock-arm C7 at the point of connection with the pitman C6. It will thus be seen that a vertical oscillation of'this arm reciprocates the pump-rod A4.

The vane-bracket D is pivotally mounted at one side of the main casting by means of lugs D' and D2 above and below the bracket, respectively, and a pivoting-rod D3, which extends diagonally to a vertical line through the casting, permits an oscillationin arising vand falling path to secure a movementof the vane by gravity in one direction. This is ,due to the fact that the pivot D2 is outside of the vertical line through the pivot D and causes the vane to rise from a horizontal plane when being drawn into the Wind and to drop from such a plane when going out of the wind. The vane-bracket D is provided with suitable socket D4 to receive the sup- ICO porting-arms for the vane, and extending at y f an angle thereto isa lug D5, (see Figs. 4.' and 5,) while at the rear of the pivot Da projec i tion D6 is provided with a recess orsocket to receive a projecting tooth E, carried by a furl-lever E, which is pivotally mounted upon the upper bracket D at one side of the pivot of the vane-bracket, as shown at D2, and provided at one side of its free end with an angle-arm E3, from whicha tension-spring E4 extends to the lug D5 to normally hold the parts in the position shown in Fig. fl when the vane is out of the wind. Upon the opposite side of this furl-lever E is a projection E5, from which the furlchain E(i extends and is carried through a guide E7, thence over a pulley or bearingvEB, downward through the main casting B to the base of the towel', where it is suitably secured. When tension is applied to this chain, the furl-lever E will be shifted into the position shown in Fig. 5, thus disengaging the tooth E from the socket in the projection D6 and placing the spring` E4 under tension as the vane is drawn or brought into the wind.

The hub C' of the wheel is provided with flanges C10, having sockets therein adapted to receive the inner ends of the spokes or arms of the wheel, the outer ends of which are provided with a shoulder F to bear against the under side of the rim F2 and pass through an aperture in said rim. Upon the threaded end of the spoke F a nut F3 is applied to bear upon the opposite or outer face of the rim, while extending from the rims are a series of blades F4, disposed in the usual manner and secured at their inner ends to one ofthe rims by a bracket The outer end of the blade F4 is apertured, and the rim F2 passes therethrough and through a securing-brace F6, bolted to the blade and having an angularly-disposed portion F7, secured to the rim F2 at a point removed from the blade, as shown in Fig. 7.

The operation of the windmill is very simple and effective. When the vane is in the wind, as shown in Figs. l, 2, 3, and 5, the rotation of the wheel through the pinion and gear causes a reciprocation of the pump-rod in the usual manner, and the furl-chain holds the vane under tension. The vane being pivoted upon an angle to the perpendicular with its lower pivotoutof line with its upper pivot is caused to incline and rise from a horizontal position when drawn into the wind,s0 that when the furl-chain is released the vane drops by gravity and immediately swings around out of the wind, while the furl-lever is drawn by the tension-spring into the position shown in Fig. 4, thus securely latching the vane and preventing its being blown into the wind until drawn therein by means of the furl-chain. It will be seen that when tension is applied to this chain the furl-lever connected thereto will be drawn into a position parallel with the chain-guide and at right angles to the wheel, and with it the spring and vane. The lever first receives the power applied to the chain and is released from its engagement with the projection from the vane bracket and then shifts this bracket, placing the spring under tension, which tends to restore the parts to their position out of the wind when the chain is again released. The gear and pinion are protected by the guard-plates, so as to prevent extraneous objects clogging the same and causing the breakage thereof, while the construction of bearing for the main wheel-shaft permits the renewal of the bushings from time to time without disconnecting any of the parts. The construction of spoke or arm and means for applying the fan-blades thereto presents an improved construction, securing stability of the parts, while the construction of latching device electually holds the vane out of the Wind and prevents any accidental movement of the same.

It will be obvious that changes maybe made in the details of construction and configuration Without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a windmill, a driving-shaft, a wheel thereon, a pivotally-mountcd vane, a latching projection carried by said vane at the rear of its pivot, a furl-lever pivoted parallel to said projection and having atooth to engage the same, and means for operating said lever in one direction; substantially as specified.

2. In a windmill, a driving-shaft, a wheel thereon, a pivotally-mounted vane, a latching projection carried by said vane at the rear of its pivot, a furl-lever pivoted parallel to and at the rear of the vane-pivot and having a tooth to engage said projection, means for operating said lever in one direction, and a spring extending between the free end of said lever and a lug at the pivot of the vane to operate the lever in an opposite direction; substantially as specified.

3. In a windmill, a driving-shaft, a wheel thereon, a pivotally-mounted vane, a latching projection carried by said vane at the rear of its pivot, a furl-lever pivoted parallel to and at the rear of the vane-pivot and having a tooth to engage said projection, means for operating said lever in one direction, a spring extending between the free end of said lever and a lug at the pivot of the vane to operate the lever` in an opposite direction, and a diagonally-disposed pivoting-rod for said vane arranged to cause the same to rise and fall in its oscillatory movement; substantially as specified.

4. In a windmill, a head-casting, a driving wheel and shaft mounted thereon, a pumprod operatively connected to said shaft, a vane-bracket pivoted at one side of said casting'and having a recessed latch member at the opposite side of its pivot from the bracket, a furl-lever pivoted parallel to said latch member and having a projection to engage said ICO IIO

recess when the vane is out of thewind, a

vspring extending from one side of the free end of said furl-lever, anda furl-chain extending from the opposite side of the free end of said lever for withdrawing the same from contact with said bracket; substantially as specified. Y

5. In a windmill, a head-casting, a driving wheel and shaft mounted thereon, a pumprod operatively connected to said shaft, a vane-bracket pivoted at one side of said casting and vhaving a recessed latch member beyond its pivot, a furl-lever pivoted adjacent to said bracket and having a projection to engage said recess when the vane is out of `the wind, a furl-chain extending from said lever for withdrawing the same from contact with said bracket, alateral projection from said bracket, a lateral projection from said furllever, and a tension-spring extending between said projections to normally hold the parts in latched position; substantial-ly as specified. l v

6. In a windmill, a head-casting, a driving wheel and shaft mounted thereon, a pumprod operatively connected to said shaft, a vane-bracket pvoted at one side of said casting and having a recessed latch member beyond its pivot, a furl-lever pivoted adjacent to said bracketand having a projection to engage said recess when the vane is out of the wind, a furl-chain extending from said lever for withdrawing the' same fromcontact with said bracket, a lateral projection from said bracket, a lateral projection from said furllever, a tension-spring extending between said projections to normally hold the parts in latched position, a central passage through the head-casting, a chain-guide extending to said passage, and a rotatable support for said casting upon the upper portion of a tower;

substantially as specified. v

7. In a windmill, a head-casting having a central aperture, a shaft-bracket extended from one side thereof at its upper portion and provided with a bearing-box adapted to receive a removable bushing, a driving wheel and shaft mounted in said bracket, a bearingsleeve upon the same side of the casting beneath said shaft-bearing, a gear havingits shaft in said bearing-sleeve, a supportingstandard extending above the shaft-bearing, Y

a pump-rod connection mounted on said standard and connected to said gear, a gearj casing provided upon said casting, vanebrackets extended laterally from the casting upon the opposite side from the shaft-bearing, a Vane pivotally mounted on said brackets, a latching projection carried by said yane at the rear of its pivot, a furl-lever pivoted parallel to said projection and havinga tooth 

